Author: Olive + Maple

If you like matching or coordinating with your daughter(s) sometimes, but not the prices of specialty "mommy + me" outfits, check out some of these alternatives using clothing items that you probably already own! You don't have to go out and buy all new items when trying to have a cohesive look. Here are 7… Continue reading How To Make “Mommy + Me” Outfits From Items You Already Own

I had (what I thought was) an odd reaction watching Wonder Woman when it first came out. It was during one of the the opening scenes where the Amazonian women were training for battle that I found myself getting teary eyed. Why is this happening? I wondered. There is nothing sad or heartbreaking about this scene at all, I thought. And then it hit me...

Disney World photographers take between 100,000 and 200,000 photos of guests at their theme parks every day. Everyone in these photos is all smiles. (The sticker shock of buying the photos must not have sunk in yet). But Disney ain't always "The Happiest Place on Earth." The photo you won't see from the parks is one… Continue reading What REALLY Happens When We Choose Experiences Over Stuff

The snow lay like powdered sugar shaken liberally over the sidewalks and roads. Her cream stilettos were caked in the stuff, and it was beginning to seep into the cracks between her toes. Elaine trudged down the sidewalk and wished for a sunny beach in St. Thomas accompanied by a strawberry daiquiri; a paper… Continue reading “Helping Hearts” | Fiction

Have you ever been in one place but longed for another? Have you ever spent time thinking, "if I was only back in ______, things would be better"? Or maybe this sounds more familiar: have you ever thought, "I'm not going to be here forever, why bother getting involved and making friends if I'm just… Continue reading Letting Go Of Living In Limbo

In reading more about minimalism and pursing a more simple life, I stumbled across some attitudes toward it that were interesting. Ideas like "only wealthy people can afford to be minimal, as they can replace something if they really need to" or, "minimalism is only for the privileged, who can choose it rather than do… Continue reading Is Minimalism Only For Those Who Can Choose It?

I know, I know. The Bachelor is the cheese fries of the television world. You think you’ll have just one fry (or episode), and then before you know it, you’ve finished the whole thing (or series). You know it’s junk, but you can’t tear yourself away from it. The show is extremely cheesy (pun intended), formulaic,… Continue reading Why We’re Like Contestants On “The Bachelor”

40-60% of people make New Year's resolutions, but only about 8% keep them. US News says that 80% of New Year's resolutions fail by February. [Are you feeling (un)motivated yet?] Why even make resolutions if we're just going to fail anyway? How can we be in that 8%? New Year's resolutions can be a really… Continue reading 10 New Year’s Resolutions That Are Actually Easy To Keep